9 Cat Idiomz From 11 Different Languages

In this video two savvy felines, Cool Cat and Fat Cat, share some of the cat-themed idioms they’ve picked up from humans.

Cats sauntered into human civilization thousands of years ago, and we’ve been catering to their every whim ever since. They can be stingy with their affection, and tend to be bad gift givers (“a dead bird in my bed – again?”), but we still love and admire our arrogant, aloof, irrepressible feline companions. After so many years of cohabitation, it’s no wonder they’ve infiltrated the way we speak.

1

To have nine lives like a catEnglishMeaning: to have a talent for getting out of bad situations

dokuz canlı kediTurkishTranslation: cat with nine lives

Avere sette vite come i gattiItalianTranslation: to have seven lives like a cat

2

Retomber comme un chat sur ses pattesFrenchTranslation: to land like a cat on his feetMeaning: to be lucky or successful after being in a difficult situation
Similar English expression: to land on one’s feet

3

Cat got your tongue?EnglishMeaning: do you have nothing to say?

Donner sa langue au chatFrenchTranslation: to give one’s tongue to the catMeaning: to give up
Similar English idiom: to throw in the towel

4

Gato escaldado tem medo de água friaPortugueseTranslation: a scalded cat fears cold waterMeaning: to be traumatized by a bad experience
Similar English idiom: once bitten, twice shy

5

When the cat’s away, the mice will playEnglishMeaning: when an authority figure is away, those under them enjoy some freedom

Quando il gatto non c’è, i topi ballanoItalianTranslation: when the cat’s not here, the mice dance

Wenn die Katze aus dem Haus ist, tanzen die Mäuse auf dem TischGermanTranslation: when the cat’s out of the house, the mice dance on the table

Kad mačke nema, miševi vode koloCroatianTranslation: when the cat’s gone, the mice lead the koloMeaning: when the boss is away, someone under them calls the shots

The kolo is a traditional Balkan dance popular at weddings and other social gatherings. It involves a large group of people dancing in a circle while holding hands. One person tends to lead the dance.

6

नौ सौ चूहे खाके बिल्ली हज को चली (Nau Sau Choohey Khakar Billi Hajj Ko Chali)HindiTranslation: after eating 900 rats, the cat goes on a pilgrimageMeaning: to veil a lifetime of wrongdoing with a few token expressions of virtue later in life

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John-Erik was born in Los Angeles, California and grew up in a suburb named after Tarzan (yes, really). He studied art at The Cooper Union in New York and worked as a video editor in LA before turning his attention to writing. He's lived in Berlin since 2009 and has been writing for the Babbel Magazine since 2014. He is also the author and co-creator of the sci-fi adventure comic Golem and Odd. Follow him on Twitter.